10 Healthy Nighttime Routines

 

Sleep is a beautiful thing. It gives us a break from our hectic work days and relieves us of unwanted stress from work, school, and life in general. The 100 Year Lifestyle isn’t possible without a good night’s sleep, which is part of why it’s so important. If you have trouble getting to sleep at a reasonable hour, it might be time to reevaluate your nighttime routines. Follow the steps below for a healthier night.

Be Consistent

Your schedule cannot differ from night to night. If you go to sleep around the same time every night, your body gets into a rhythm, and you will be able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Get at Least Seven Hours of Sleep

Adults need anywhere from seven to nine hours of sleep per night, so seven should be the bare minimum amount of sleep you need to get. When you get the recommended number of hours of sleep per night, you ensure a healthier, more alert day when you wake.

Avoid Caffeine at Night

Once you get home from work, try to lay off of the iced coffees and caffeinated sodas. Caffeine is the world’s most abused drug, and people just don’t know when to quit. The later you drink caffeinated drinks at night, the harder it will be to fall asleep.

Avoid Alcohol

This should go without saying, but avoid drinking alcohol, especially before bedtime. Alcohol is a depressant that slows down the central nervous system as well as your mental activity. The amount of sugar in alcohol makes for a bad hangover the next day, leaving you groggy, tired, nauseous, and irritable–all unideal conditions for working.

Don’t Eat Right Before Bed

If you get hungry after dinner, eat a light, healthy snack. Anything high in fat, sugar, or extremely greasy won’t digest as well throughout the night, leaving your stomach in knots when you wake up in the morning.

Graze Throughout the Day

Instead of eating huge meals two to three times a day, it’s better to graze with five to six small meals. This allows your metabolism to build up, causing weight loss and higher energy levels. Eating smaller meals helps you feel less full and groggy.

Journal at Night

Take time to journal about your day. Write down your thoughts, what happened that day, and how you feel. This gives you a chance to organize your thoughts and provides a way to unwind and cool down before going straight to bed.

Meditate

Meditating gives you an opportunity to calm down and clear your mind from any stress that the day brought you. It makes you sleepier and helps you fall asleep faster.

Turn Off Electronics

Electronics should be turned off at least 30 minutes before bed. The lights from the screens hurts your eyes, especially when you look at the lights in a dark room. Wind down with a book instead.

Pick Out an Outfit the Night Before

When you have a plan for the day, it helps alleviate stress. Picking out an outfit is an easy way to ensure that you won’t waste time in the morning, which in turn helps you have a more successful day.

There are so many steps to creating healthy nighttime routines, but these are just a few that the 100 Year Lifestyle swears by. When you have a good night, you have a good morning. This brings you many more opportunities to be successful and live your healthiest, happiest, and longest life possible. So does finding a 100 Year Lifestyle provider near you!